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Final Fantasy Dimensions

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  • Developer: Square Enix
  • Publisher: Square Enix, Inc.
  • Genre: Role-Playing
  • Release Date: 8/31/2012
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Final Fantasy Dimensions

Phone-Based Final Fantasy Releases Today

Preview
by Joe Juba on August 31, 2012 at 10:38 AM
14,394 Views
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Update: Final Fantasy Dimensions is Square Enix's return to the classic RPG style of the 16-bit era, and it is out right now. Well, sort of. The prologue episode is available for free on iOS, but it doesn't appear to be out for Android yet. Also, if you had the whole day set aside to power through Dimensions, you may want to make other plans. The additional chapters beyond the prologue are not accessible yet.

Here's the description on the App Store explaining why all episodes, which were supposed to release alongside the prologue, are not available:

I'm playing the prologue right now, so stay tuned for my impressions later today.

Original Story: The good news is that the episodic Final Fantasy Dimensions is coming out for iOS and Android later this month around the world. Unfortunately,Square Enix may have misjudged how much users are willing to pay for the experience on mobile phones. 

Final Fantasy Dimensions aims to provide a RPG experience more in line with the series' entries on SNES. However, like the Final Fantasy IV sequel The After Years, Dimensions is broken up into episodes to be purchased separately. According to a blog post from Square Enix, the pricing breaks down like this: "The prologue will be free for everyone to enjoy. You can purchase the first chapter for $2.99 / £1.99 / €2.39, chapters 2-4 for $9.99 / £6.99 / €7.99 each, or the entire collection of chapters for $28.99 / £19.99 / €22.99."

While I'm excited to play a new Final Fantasy in the old-school style, I can't help but wince at that price point. It may be in line with DS and Vita price points, but most gamers don't expect to pay that much for something they play on their phones.

You can see the latest batch of screens for Final Fantasy Dimensions below.

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Comments
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  • by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:17 PM
    Doesn't sound unreasonable to me. I feel like a full old school FF is worth 30 bucks. Phone or not.
  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:18 PM
    I would love to play an old-style FF, but It seems I don't have any of the systems required.
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    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:24 PM
    I'm not sure about this.. While I love FF new and old, I don't know if I'm going to dish out $30 to play it on my phone. I guess it depends on the quality of the game. If it's a huge hit with a great story and gameplay I'll do it, but if it's just mediocre.
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    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:25 PM
    Those screenshots look awful. It looks like someone made it in RPG Maker. If they want it to feel like a SNES final fantasy, why can't they just go with sprites? I'm a big advocate of story > graphics, but if you're gonna make a classic FF the graphics have to be right.
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    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:25 PM
    Considering most smartphone apps/games are only £6.99 (If they're top tier pricing) for the whole game, I'm not so thrilled to see them charging that for one chapter...or £20 for the whole thing.

    The combat also looks a little unpolished, even compared to the FF1 and FF2 remakes.
  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:26 PM

    If I'm getting a good amount of hours for a good final fantasy game, I don't mind the $30 price tag.

  • by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:39 PM
    As Joe said, maybe if it was on the DS or PSP it would be reasonable. I only download the free games anyways. Good thing I get my Vita tomorrow for my early 19th Birthday party gift. Hope a lot more games get released for the Vita, the 3DS has a lot because it can support the DS games. (Unfortunately some DS that that you can use Gameboy advance games for you can't such as Pokemon.)
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    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:39 PM

    I'm not sure that I'd be willing to spend nearly $30 for a phone game even if it's a Final Fantasy in the 16-bit style.  I love the idea, but the price-point seems a bit high for what it is.

  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:49 PM
    square enix reeks of desperation, i doubt it would cost this much if ff14 hadnt put the company so far in the red
  • by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:51 PM

    It's SE... /expected.

  • by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:52 PM

    $30? remind me again why this wasn't made for 3DS or Vita?

  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:00 PM
    Is it not possible to buy chapters 2-4 individually as opposed to together for 9.99?
  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:15 PM
    Why have they been working on this and not focused on finishing FFXIII VS?
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    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:15 PM

    At that price, you might as well just make it for DS or Vita, or put it in their respective online stores. I think most people are only willing to pay $5 at the most for a game on their phone.

  • by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:18 PM

    hell I wasn't going to pay $15 for Chrono Trigger on my phone when if I truly wanted to can get it for $10 on PSN (or you know play any of the other 3 versions I have the game but the point is still there) Why would I pay $30 for this when I could spend a little more and get a 3DS or Vita game, hell at that price I'd rather get a PS3 game like Catherine that I have been waiting to play

  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:19 PM
    $28.99? Don't care. I've got Black Mart. I'll wait for the cracked version to come out.
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    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:19 PM
    I truly believe there is still a place for the old school RPG, but there's a fine line between "retro" and "poor presentation". Turn based battles and spritework is still valid, but the screenshots make this look astoundingly generic. There was a day when I'd have insisted that Square was the only company capable of reviving my favorite subgenre, but judging from their pricing model on this game (as well as FFXIII-2, don't get me started), I honestly don't think they could pull it off if that was their intention. Which it probably isn't, by the way; the first episode is free to hook you on the overpriced episodic entries. Basically the same model as XIII-2, but on the appropriate platform (there was literally no reason to charge per battle on the console). You don't need to look any further than their other mobile offerings; Tactics, which was released in '98, is still 15$. For an app. Final Fantasy 1 was still about 8$ last I checked. Yeah, they have updated graphics, but Square has consistently shown that they have no idea how to price digital content. I do, however, recommend "Imaginary Range", which to my knowledge is still free. It's basically an interactive game/comic book, and it's done pretty damn well! I think the idea has a ton of potential, and Square seems to have stumbled onto it accidentally. Whoops, getting off topic. Anyway, I smell a cash grab, but since that's the nature of a lot of mobile games, maybe the end product will be better for it. I'll keep an eye on this but I'm not terribly excited.
  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:27 PM

    I thought the title said Phone-Based Fire Emblem Releases... and I was so happy for a moment, now I'm super sad :L

  •
    by Friday, August 24, 2012 at 01:54 PM
    That pricing doesn't seem unreasonable to me either. The prologue is free. Episode 1 is $2.99 and $9.99 for the rest? Given that some people may only play the prologue and chapters 1 & 2, that's not too bad. And $28.99 for a full traditional SNES-era FF game? Not bad. I guarantee that the entire game will be coming to Vita and/or 3DS eventually for $39.99. Not a bad deal.
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